TARGET04/03/19

When the target is in perfect condition in the right place at the right time, something is expected to happen. There are many reasons why individuals want to harm themselves, we probably won't know all the answers. I don't claim to know any other than a social approach.

Learning about social issues has been enlightened and insightful all because of wilful sharing of valuable experiences. All these views from the point of realisation to breaking away from family and culture to isolation, then there are drugs and mental illness. These are all relevant and major to resolutions.

In the condition at home, one has a safety net of parents and relatives for support although he/she does not always see it that way. It is more like 'leave me alone this is my life and I do what I want'. Then being alone becomes an internal struggle against the world.

Now imagine one who is alone and desperate: he/she has heightened feelings and senses! With sharp tuned receptors of heightened senses, he/ she can pick up a pin drop in our midst. With that sharp reception, everything is heard and related to him/herself. In other words, inward drive.

Considering that the private sector media has made it a compulsory job to provide endless criticisms of the government and those others who are usually non-Europeans; what is heard and driven personally inwardly triggers stressful emotions.

One stressful young man took to alcohol, but stuck in negative emotions. He was so ashamed of himself he proceeded to end his life.

This is the condition where developments; values and cognition are called to task. It is where thoughts, reasons, values and inspirations are measured against that phenomenon image in front of him now.

We hear responses like; 'oh you poor thing', 'get a life', 'be a man', or 'you need a good kick up the ass' and so on. For me it would be salt to the wound and fuel to the fire, the straw that breaks the camel's back. For others the response breaks the limbo and get one out of the trance to start thinking. He/she would be angry for a while but positive reinforcements may eventually change the way of thinking.

There are also valuable reasons why individuals would not harm themselves and love is one of those. But then, love is the very reason why one would end his life. May be intentional to hurt the loved one but it shows the amount of hurt and of love are equally strong and confused. If so then love and hurting is the phenomenon because one is not his/her real self. Who is locked inside the phenomenon reflects the underlying issue, the reason why the young man took to the bottle and proceeded to end his life.

It is usually during times of economic downturns that the private media is all out on a hard hitting assault. But now, it is all out hard hitting them 24/7. The ones towards a left or human leaning government among those who are usually non-Europeans. Oh what's more, they say it's their traditional value to personally criticise and condemn.

I have claimed that hard hits are personally received and driven inwardly. In the state of heightened instincts, the condition is ideal to provide salt to the wound and fuel to the fire; the last straw.

For as long as there is an underlying issue, the phenomenon will appear when triggered especially by media bombardment.

We have to do something about this. First, sports is a good outlet of frustrations. But if you look again, not everyone can afford or has the ideal physique to be selected. And that must indicate our target is not only low in self-esteem and lacking in cognitive ability but also a bit unhealthy. Having said that, I have come across some very healthy and well to do persons in the process of ending their lives. So, love or hurt does not discriminate.

Now, by persistent criticism that are personal and hard-hitting have somewhat found an inward target. You see, the young man had all the symptoms of the target. In his moment of stress under heightened instincts, he took to the bottle and proceeded to end his life. The phenomenon became too big for his capabilities he couldn't come out of it.

People in stressful conditions need an outward outlet for their frustrations. Fono, korero or meetings and community activities are therapeutic to rehabilitation.

Perhaps general social relations determined and generated by the media need to have a balancing feedback so that it's not always one way. Protest is one democratic participation that meets feedback. It gives the individual the opportunity to participate in the resolution to his/her frustrations.

Further, protest helps draw the issue from within. The individual would realise that he/she is not alone and what he/she thought it was a personal problem is in fact a social issue shared by a lot of people. So protest saves lives.

Media bombardment of issues is not restricted to seasons of downturn, rather the media is now openly engaged in the sway of opinions towards policies. And that is why external outlet is necessary for targets personally hit.

As I was saying earlier that the gap between the left and right of the political spectrum has extended and volatile, Gone are the days of objective balance and outcome.